African focused junior mineral exploration company Walkabout Resources has reported very high grade graphite assay results of up to nearly 40% total graphitic carbon (TGC) for its maiden diamond drilling programme at its Lindi Jumbo project in south eastern Tanzania.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Graphite is a modern industrial metal, now widely regarded as a major global growth commodity for the 21st century

The diamond drill holes, all along the western flank of the Gilbert Arc area of focus, were drilled in order to provide core material for metallurgical test work and size by analysis.

“These diamond drilling results confirm the western flank of the Gilbert Arc will deliver some of the highest quality graphite ore available to meet the expected surge in demand because of increased interest in energy  storage.

“These very high grades over wide intersections mean our input costs will be considerably less than competitors while our previous work has demonstrated a very high ratio of large and jumbo flake concentrate can be produced,” says Walkabout Resources MD Allan Mulligan.

Assay Report

Three diamond drillholes (LJDD001, LJDD002 and LJDD003) were completed along the western flank of the newly discovered Gilbert Arc. Holes were planned to supply enough drill core for metallurgical testwork with one drillhole (LJDD001) positioned to act as a twin to reverse circulation(RC) hole LJRC017, the assays of which are still outstanding.

All graphite intersects were assayed. The twinning of the RC hole was planned to measure any bias of the RC assays results as well as confirm the geological logging of the RC holes.

A quarter of the core was used for assay purposes and half of the core was shipped to Perth for metallurgical test work.

All three diamond drillholes intersected the down dip extensions of known high grade zones closer to the surface in RC drillholes LJRC006, LJRC009 and LJRC010.The diamond core further supported the in-field interpretation of visually distinctive high grade zones as intersected through the RC drilling.

Results

The diamond drilling programme resulted in an oustanding spread of high grade core over a large portion of the western flank of the Gilbert Arc and puts the company in an excellent position to fast-track the initial metallurgical characterisation test work which is currently underway.

Hole No. LJDD002 has correlated high grades and widths with RC hole LJRC006. Hole LJDD003 was paired with RC hole LJRC009 and both grade and width are consistent across three graphite zones.

Exploration target

Walkabout Resources has announced a regional exploration target of between 12 Mt and 29 Mt of graphite bearing ore on a portion of PL9992 which will be tested during ongoing exploration in 2016.

Multiple VTEM targets were modeled within the western VTEM zone within PL9992/2014.

The targets were interpreted to be conductive graphitic schist horizons within a highly prospective and known graphite region. The combined strike length of these priority targets is in excess of 6.5 km with many of the targets coinciding with graphitic outcrops containing high grade, large flake surface samples.

First pass RC drilling has confirmed graphitic horizons (schists and gneisses) close to surface in each of the drilled VTEM anomalies. The exploration target within the western VTEM zone is estimated at approximately 12 Mt to 29 Mt of graphite bearing ore of which the grade is unknown.

The range of exploration targets within the western VTEM zone is based on mapped graphitic outcrops which overlap with the VTEM targets and are further supported by drilling within some of these target areas. The potential quantity is conceptual in nature as there has been insufficient exploration to define a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the determination of a Mineral Resources.

It should not be expected that the quality of the exploration targets is equivalent to that of Mineral Resources. Exploration targets will be tested with future exploration activities in alignment with company’s exploration and business strategy.

It is planned that further exploration drilling will take place after the wet season and during the second quarter of next year.

Going forward

Walkabout Resources intends to fast-track the exploration and project development at Lindi Jumbo to validate the structure of the deposit, the graphite grade, concentrate product grade and flake size distribution. These results will enable the early introduction of an end-user market partner to secure product off-take and clarify operational right-sizing.